On Monday night, many of us attended the launch of the London Festival of Architecture at City Hall. It was here where they announced the theme of next year's festival: 'Memory: architecture and the impact of time'.

A panel of speakers from various backgrounds discussed how architecture both influences and is influenced by memories. They suggested that architecture is there to serve people, but some developments haven’t listened much lately and they have even managed to eradicate or harm certain communities. But most of all, the discussions explored different definitions for memory. Memory is to respect the past to create a future. Memory is identity. Memories can be produced by buildings but they stay there even when the spaces are gone. Memory is the continuity of urban life. Memory is what makes a place special.

The panel gave us lots to think about when we design or when we look at a project and also made us excited for the events ahead (including our own!) at the upcoming festival: 1-30 June 2017.